For a commercial
photograph to make its mark, its composition must be rock solid.
If you cannot get the composition right, you are only taking
snapshots. You absolutely must be able to place the elements
of a photograph into a pleasing composition and while this
seems to come quite naturally to some lucky folks, the rest
of us must study and learn.
Basically, what you must be able to do is to recognise the
important parts of a scene and then compose an image that emphasises
these in a pleasing way, whilst whilst keeping distractions
out of the way.
Here are ten top tips that will help you out. Not all of them
will apply to every photograph you take and occasionally breaking
all of the rules can produce really eye-catching work, but
keeping these in mind will help improve your work.
1. Your Subject Must be Obvious
When someone looks at your image they must be able to instantly
recognise the main subject.
If the whole point of the image
is to illustrate something like a ladies hat for a catalogue,
taking a full-length photograph is unlikely to work.
Get in
close and fill the frame with the hat.
2. Fill the Frame
As mentioned above, make sure the subject fills the frame.
Cut all possible distractions out and make it obvious where
the viewer should be looking because they won't try to figure
it out for themselves.
3. Don't Crop Too Close
Even though you must major on the
main subject, such as the hat mentioned in point one above,
be careful not to cut off too much when composing the image.
Cutting off someone's outstretched arm can be annoying
to the viewer. It's much better to re-compose and take another
shot.
4. Odd Points of View
Remember that to sell successfuly, your photographs must bring
something new to the game.
No matter how technically perfect
your work may be, if your compositions don't stand out you
won't sell consistently.
- Shoot from different angles.
- Try to get
above your subject and look down
- or lie down and shoot upward.
- Move around the subject and shoot from three-quarters instead
of straight on.
This also changes the view of any background
and so may change the whole feel of the shot.
5. Check the Background
Sometimes you need to include some background details in order
to show the context. This can make it easier to understand
exactly what is going on in an image. However, you need to
be carefull in case something unexpectedly intrudes.
An old
factory chimney miles away in the background may not catch
your  attention,
but you can bet it will cause comment if it looks like it is
growing out the top of someone's head in the final image.
Try different angles and use depth of field to
prevent this kind of thing.
6. The Golden Rule
Read my other article on the
Golden Rule
, often known as the
Rule of Thirds
, and use it. Place the main subject on one of
the intersections of the 'thirds' lines.
7. Landscape or Portrait
Most cameras have a rectangular picture format and all of
them are built so that they produce a landscape image by default.
This is unfortunate because it means that almost all budding
photographers produce the majority of their images this way.
Get used to turning the camera through 90 degrees and take
portrait-style images even if they are not obviously called
for.
Experimentation is the way we all learn and you will occasionally
surprise yourself with the results.
8. Frame Your Subject
A composition can often be greatly improved by using something
in the foreground or background to frame the
subject.
Having
a person
- standing in a doorway
- or looking out of an open window
- or perhaps leaning against a tree or fence
can really bring
it to life. We are all used to seeing these things around us
all of the time so why not use them? Just be carefull that
they don't take over the scene.
9. K.I.S.S.
In spite of what I've just said, try not to over-complicate
things. Sometimes a very simple and straightforward composition
can be just what's needed.
10. Natural Geometry
Look for geometrical items that can be
used to direct the viewer towards the main subject.
- Straight
lines such as a wall or road can be usefull.
- Curved lines such
as a stream or pathway can also be used in this way.
- A straight
line such as a wall can also be used to add depth to your image
by placing it on a diagonal.
11. Think!
Here's an extra one! Allways think before
you press the shutter. Look at the scene through the viewfinder
as well as by eye
and consider what's going on and where the important bits and
pieces are. Move around and look from different viewpoints.
As
usual, practice makes perfect. If you go through this mental
checklist each time you are working, it will soon become second
nature. Then you earnings will begin to reflect your extra
effort.
Further Reading
If you would like to learn more about this aspect of photography,
check out 'Learn to See Creatively'
Mini Review |
Hama Polarising Filter |
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A polarising filter is an excellent accessory that ought to be fitted to the front of every lens.
Apart from offering usefull and inexpensive protection for your lenses against dirt and abrasions, such a filter will have a usefull effect on your photography.
Reflections can be an annoying distraction if a water, a window, or glass fronted cabinet for instance, appears in the background. A polarising filter will cure this.
It will also increase the colour saturation of your images.
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